AT SEVENTY-SIX

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 May 1935, Page 14

AT SEVENTY-SIX

SUED FOR BREACH OF PROMISE.

Sued for breach of promise at the I age of 76, a solicitor, said to be “oneJ of the foremost in Dqblin,’’ agreed; to pay £4OO to the lady concerned, and so settle her claim, reports the “News-Chonicle.” He is Mr Joseph Gleeson, widower, of Inchicore, Dublin, and the action was brought against him in Dublin High Court by Miss Mary Hannon, 51, costumier, of Cork. She sought to recover £lOOO. The couple, it was stated, met while on holiday at Ballycottin, a seaside resort near Cork, and later Mr Gleeson wrote from Dublin to a third person: “I am confident that the result of my visit at Ballycottin will cure my acute indigestion and deep depression. All being well, I hope to meet some nice, gentle Cork lady, whom 1 ' intend to be my future companion and j consolatrix in life and, with that ob-j ject in view. I hope to secure the sor-' vices of yourself and your dear] mother —as I am a very shy and nervous man—for a second edition of my. life.” I

Miss Hannon stated in evidence that I Mr Gleeson told her his late wife had j impressed on him the necessity of get- ] ting married to somebody sensible. While attending a cinema in Cork he asked her to take off her gloves so that he could hold her hand. I Mr Gleeson told her he‘was 60 and was in great need of a companion—some one who would go round with him and be with him all the time because he felt lonesome, especially in the evenings. Telling how Mr Gleeson gave her a cheque for £lO to buy rings. Miss Hannon added, “He asked mo to look closely at the signature so that I would know it in the future, and that soon I would be able to till the cheques >

in for myself.’’ The following week, while walking on the pier. Air Gleeson complained of headache, and they turned back'. “Suddenly,” continued Aliss Hannon, ‘'ho .turned right round on me and said. don’t think 1 will marry yon after all. .Mary. I told yon a lie. I am as old as your mother, and I might collapse and that would bo awful for you. Wo will remain the best of friends, ami yon will never get martied. will von

.Mr Gleeson's counsel said I hat after hearing .Miss Hannon's evidence his client thought she was fairly entitled to a substantial sum for the damage that unwittingly was done to her. The C luu to bo ptiid hy Mr Gleeson would include costs.